Sweet Home Waimanalo

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Today was adventure day. We tried a small take-out place in Waimanalo featuring slow smoked BBQ meats. Check out my review.

Hubby and I woke up this morning and decided that instead of the same old, same old thing, we were going to eat lunch at somewhere different. We decided on Lucy’s Grill and Bar, mind you, not Bar & Grill. Why that place? Well, if it is good enough for the President of the United States, it’s good enough for us.

We’re not familiar with Kailua so I got out my iphone and got directions to Lucy’s Grill and Bar. Funny thing, though, I didn’t check the hours. We got there and found parking a half block from the restaurant only to find out that Lucy’s is not open for lunch. They open at 5 p.m. I should have READ the hours of operation instead of focusing on the directions to the restaurant.

We explored Kailua a bit and decided on the way back home to go through Waimanalo since I wanted to stop by at East Honolulu Clothing Company. Andrea, the owner, suggested we try Sweet Home Waimanalo for lunch.

Please note that hubby is not adventurous about trying restaurants. He likes me to be the guinea pig first. However, he drove me to Sweet Home Waimanalo which is located at 41-1025 Kalanianaole Highway. Sweet Home Waimanalo is next door to Patrick Ching’s Naturally Hawaiian Art Gallery near McDonald’s.

We tried the combo plate ($9.95) consisting of beef brisket and the pulled BBQ pork which included a choice of rice or cornbread and two side dishes. Our choices were the cornbread which was heavy and dense and for our sides, corn on the cob and Okinawan sweet potato and mango chutney salad. Also, included is a choice of the homemade BBQ sauces: guava chipotle, mango honey mustard and beer BBQ. Hubby wanted the beer BBQ and for a $1 more I ordered the guava chipotle.

The temperature of the food could have been hotter. Our cashier said that brisket was cooked for 12 hours. We asked if it was tender and she said that it was edible. I’ve had brisket in Missouri that was more tender. I’d skip the brisket and order the pulled pork. That was tasty and tender. Personally, I prefer my cornbread lighter, more like a cake. The sweet potato salad was cooked purple sweet potato with a chutney sauce poured over. It wasn’t what I was expecting.